The invention relates to a book forming and pressing machine that includes a reshaping device, a pressing device, and a loading device. The loading device basically is a loading table and the pressing device includes a number of spaced-apart pressing plates and joint-burn-in rails, wherein the reshaping device includes a mechanism that shapes a front cut of a book block. The invention furthermore relates to a method for operating a book forming and pressing machine of this type.
A book forming and pressing machine is known from German patent document DE 4422783 A1, which discloses a number of pressing devices with thereon arranged joint-burn-in devices that are arranged on a rotor, driven intermittently around a vertical axis of rotation. In a feed-in station, the book blocks are fed into a pressing device where they are accommodated completely and are formed or bound-in continuously with the aid of the joint-burn-in rail. The book blocks are held continuously in the same pressing jaw until they are discharged at the discharge station. Between the feeding of the book blocks encased in covers and the discharge of the fully formed and pressed books, the rotor executes some intermittent rotational movements, wherein this interval is utilized for the forming and/or the joint-burn-in.
If the joint-burn-in rails are closed only slightly and the pressing plates are closed with or without exerting pressure, a loading plunger functioning as joint-burn-in rail of a reshaping device is then lowered against the front cut and presses the book block toward the back. As a result, the two book cover sections are pulled via the back insert and the fly leaf in the joint against the joint-burn-in rails. The book block and the book cover can thus be oriented relative to each other while the book is reshaped at the same time. Separate inserts for the shaping inserts are used in this case for producing books with either rounded or flat backs.
An additional feature of this book forming machine, as well as nearly all book forming and pressing machines currently being marketed, is that the complete machine is provided with a cover for safety reasons and that only the intake belt and the discharge belt extend out of the housing, so that when replacing a forming insert, for example for the changeover from a flat back to a rounded back or when changing to an insert having different dimensions to achieve an improved rounding, the machine must be powered down, the cover must be opened and the machine must subsequently be restarted.